In 2010, when Labour left office, the funding granted to a Devon schoolchild was nearly £400 less than the national average, more than £600 at today’s prices. Because of the introduction of the new national funding formula in 2018/19, which aimed additional resources at rural schools, that gap is now reduced to £225. It is still too large.

In 2012, we adopted the common-sense phonics system for reading and gave special priority to reading and maths. Since then, the proportion of schools rated good or outstanding by OFSTED has increased from 68 per cent to 90 per cent.

In Torridge and Tavistock, 94 per cent of primary schools are rated good or outstanding, up from 80 per cent in 2010. My children went to our village school, and I have been proud to see this progress in my regular school visits. A Conservative government will continue to focus on raising school standards, ensure real terms increases in schools’ funding over the forthcoming Parliament, expand mental health teams to all schools, ban mobile phones during the school day and implement strict guidance about handling “gender questioning”. I believe these are common-sense policies that will appeal to many parents and grandparents.

Fast and reliable broadband is an essential part of modern life, and homes and businesses in the more isolated parts of Torridge and Tavistock are entitled to it just as much as those living in our more populated areas.

And yet, as a West Devon councillor, I hear time and again of people who are being left behind and unconnected.

Some residents have been waiting two years for superfast broadband under the Connecting Devon and Somerset (CDS) scheme, and have been told to dig their own trenches for cables. Others report their Wi-Fi connection dropping out up to 100 times a day.

Poor or non-existent broadband not only impacts businesses, but also people's ability to connect with family and friends. You can end up feeling cut off from the rest of the world and, in 2024, that is simply unacceptable.

People in our area cannot wait till 2027 until technology catches up. If we do not speak up for those people, it will be 2029 or 2032 before they are connected.

I want to see CDS and contractor Airband held to account for the flaws in what is essentially a very admirable programme to rollout superfast broadband to rural areas.

• Also standing: Phil Hutty (Liberal Democrat), Alan Rayner (Independent), Andrew Jackson (Reform UK) and Judy Maciejowska (Green Party)